Press Releases
The Republican Recap: Week of July 22, 2024
Washington,
July 25, 2024
Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:
Condemning Border Czar Harris’ Refusal to Secure the Border ✅ Under President Biden and Border Czar Vice President Harris, more than 7.9 million illegal immigrants have been caught attempting to enter the U.S., including 372 people on the terrorist watchlist – that we know of. And these migrants aren’t just coming from South America: individuals from over 160 countries, including countries on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, have been apprehended crossing our border illegally. Additionally, these disastrous policies have enabled drug traffickers to flood our streets with fentanyl. In 2023, the DEA seized over 386 million deadly doses of fentanyl – the most fentanyl seized by DEA in a single year and enough to kill every American. Since President Biden appointed Vice President Harris in charge of the border crisis in March of 2021, she has visited the border only one time and failed to take any action to address the massive influx of migrants or its devastating consequences on hardworking Americans. She even proclaimed that the border was secure, when every American knew it wasn’t. Vice President Harris owns this Administration’s disastrous record, especially the crisis at our border which was her main responsibility as vice president. This Administration must be held accountable for their egregious disregard of and efforts to subvert our border laws, and for the consequences their actions have had on American families. H. Res. 1371, introduced by Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, condemns the Biden Administration and Border Czar Kamala Harris for their failure to secure the U.S. southern border, resulting in the worst border crisis in American history. “Today my resolution condemning Kamala Harris for her role as Joe Biden’s open border czar passed the House. Let me be clear: Harris and every elected Democrat owns this historic border crisis that has turned every community into a border community. It is time that we return to President Donald Trump’s border security policies that put the safety of American citizens first,” said Chairwoman Elise Stefanik. “At our Northern Border in the Swanton Sector, I have seen firsthand with the Border Patrol the disastrous consequences of Kamala Harris’ failed Far Left open border agenda which caused a historic surge in illegal crossings like we have never seen at our Northern Border before including individuals on the terrorist watchlist. Kamala Harris didn’t just create a national security crisis, but a humanitarian crisis that has endangered the lives of millions. House Republicans will secure the border.” What Members Said: “Every American deserves better. How many more classified hearings, Mr. Speaker, are we going to have to have where the FBI comes in, and where other intelligence agencies come in, and say ‘We've got a problem.’ How many more classified hearings are we going to have to have where they come in to Congress to tell us that we have known and suspected terrorists inside our country,” said Rep. August Pfluger. “The post 9/11 Commission said the system was flashing red. Wake up: The system is flashing red right now. And it is due to President Biden and Vice President Harris’s inability to secure the border and do something to secure our country. Shame on those who won't stand up and do the right thing.”
Majority Leader Steve Scalise pointed out that six House Democrats joined House Republicans in voting to condemn the Administration and Border Czar Kamala Harris's failure to secure the border.
 Rep. Mike Bost highlighted that nearly 130,000 illegal immigrants flooded through our border last month alone.  Establishing a Task Force on the Trump Assassination Attempt ✅ On July 13, 2024, the nation watched in horror as a gunman attempted to assassinate the Republican Party’s nominee for president, President Donald Trump. Thanks to the grace of God, President Trump narrowly escaped death, but sustained a bullet wound on the side of his head as a result of the attack. Unfortunately, a life was taken during the attack: Corey Comperatore was a loving father and husband, and a volunteer firefighter, who died protecting his family as the shooter fired on the rally. Two others were seriously injured. There is no circumstance in which political violence is acceptable. With his attempted assassination of President Trump, the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, sought to take the choice of President of the United States of America out of the hands of the American people, threatening the future of our democracy. We must never allow something like this to happen again. It is vital that we understand exactly how our country was almost thrown into chaos, and what steps must be taken to address the systematic security failures that endangered one of the most protected people in America. House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to assemble a task force to investigate this attempted assassination, evaluate the security failures that led to it, and ensure no such failures occur in the future. Rep. Mike Kelly’s legislation, H. Res. 1367, establishes the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, and gives the task force investigative authority, including subpoena authority, to thoroughly analyze the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt and ensure the failures that occurred never happen again. “The goals of my legislation and of this task force are simple: to investigate, detail, and explain the shooting and security breakdowns that tragically killed one person, injured two others, and nearly claimed President Trump's life. We must never let something like this happen again,” said Rep. Mike Kelly. “It's important that we don't jump to any conclusions as we begin these investigations. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get the American people the answers they deserve.” What Members Said: “As an eyewitness to this event, along with my colleague, Mike Kelly, I stand here on behalf of the American people, especially Pennsylvanians, who deserve answers to critical questions about this tragedy: Why was the building that gunman used allowed to be outside the security perimeter? Why was there no secret service agents stationed on the floor? Why wasn't there a plan, execution, and a high sense of emergency and urgency taking place?” said Rep. Dan Meuser. “Director Cheatle’s remarks the other day did nothing to inspire confidence or for us to believe that this situation is going to be corrected in the appropriate, highly important manner. So the senseless political violence demands nothing less than a unified response from both Democrats and Republicans. We must come together to form a bipartisan task force to uncover the truth and provide answers.”
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer emphasized that the American people deserve a thorough investigation of the horrific attempted assassination of President Trump.
Developing Our Land’s Resources and Unleashing American Energy ✅ The United States is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and beautiful lands that provide Americans with energy security, jobs, development opportunities, and recreational enjoyment. However, the Biden Administration is trying to punish Americans for utilizing our country’s resources through out-of-control agency regulations and promoting the far-Left climate agenda. House Republicans passed legislation forward that will strengthen our energy security, safeguard American jobs, protect recreational use of public lands, and ensure development of our resources to the benefit of all Americans. Our legislation requires the Administration to resume oil and gas leasing sales, cuts funds to cancel oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, bans the EPA from imposing a methane fee on oil and gas producers, and increases production of vital critical minerals by ending harmful restrictions enacted by the Bureau of Land Management and reinstating mineral leases. It also stops restrictions on hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands, and blocks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rulings that weaponize the Endangered Species Act against land users and energy producers. Additionally, our bill fully funds the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, prioritizes funding for Tribes and Wildland Fire Management, and permanently addresses wildland firefighter pay. H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, introduced by Rep. Mike Simpson, reins in wasteful spending and cuts burdensome regulations to reduce energy costs, safeguard American jobs, develop our natural resources, and ensure Americans’ access to public lands for recreation. “The FY 2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill will help reduce energy costs, protect American jobs, and ensure that we can continue to access our public lands to recreate, hunt, and develop our natural resources,” said Rep. Mike Simpson. “I am proud that this fiscally responsible bill reins in unnecessary spending and rejects the Biden administration's misguided regulatory agenda. In crafting this bill, I vowed to protect essential programs vital to states and local communities. I am pleased that the FY25 Interior and Environment Appropriations Act safeguards these programs by fully funding the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, addresses needs across our Tribal communities, and includes a permanent pay fix for wildland firefighter pay. I thank Chairman Cole for his leadership and guidance and my colleagues' support on the floor today.” What Members Said: Rep. Dan Newhouse touted H.R. 8998 as a huge victory for rural America and noted it unlocks our energy and mineral resources, restores energy independence, curbs administrative overreach and abuse of the ESA, and reins in annual spending.  The House Appropriations Committee highlighted that H.R. 8998 promotes U.S. energy independence, blocks onerous fees and regulations, fully funds the Indian Health Service, and provides a permanent pay fix for federal wildland firefighters.
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